Right now, I'm going to do a mini-review of several resources that have meant something to me. Keep in mind that this full collection is worth $750, which means each resource has an average value of $21. You don't have to crave many of the books to make the whole bundle or one of the topical bundles well worth your purchase!

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers

This ground-breaking positive discipline audiobook aims at parents of older children, who, research has shown, are apt to pull away and attach to peers rather than adults. This book talks about bringing our children back under parental influence and guidance and finding ways to connect and encourage healthy interdependence.

The authors talk about "collecting" your children — that is, bringing them back into attachment with you, so that they will form their closest bonds with the people who love them and want the best for them rather than with their peers, who by contrast are in need of a compass themselves and are not fit to be other children's leaders and behavioral models. Coercive punishment and bribery are not needed if children and parents are sufficiently attached and communicating — and it is up to the parent to cultivate and preserve that attachment.

Birth Relaxation Kit

I loved and highly recommend using hypnosis for childbirth. The idea isn't to go into some floating, New Agey higher plane (unless that's your thing) but to relax, deeply and effectively, and move through the process of birthing without the fear. This complete birthing hypnosis kit is very similar to Hypnobabies, which I used and love, but at a much lower price point and with a different voice and music and kit-specific affirmations and scripts, including one for your birth partner. Since the retail value is $79, this is well worth getting as part of the collection!

Twin Manibreasto: A Success Story of Milk and Multiples

This is an ebook about Mercedes' own experiences breastfeeding twins from the rough newborn period (for this mama, it included recovering from a C-section and a further surgery, with a husband in a different country!) through toddlerhood.

Mercedes shares her experiences breastfeeding twins with humor and wisdom. Her tone is that of a good friend or sister, sharing the nitty-gritty of what worked for her and helping you make choices that will work for you. If you or someone you know is entering the world of breastfeeding twins, I highly recommend The Twin Manibreasto as a welcome ray of light for those early on-demand double feedings!

The Natural Parent's Guide to Babywearing.

Do you want to expand your babywearing repertoire? Learn some new ties, brave some new carriers? This book is like a friendly babywearing class, giving an introductory overview of babywearing, along with troubleshooting ideas for special circumstances. We'll talk about the benefits of babywearing, types of common carriers, how to babywear safely, pictorial how-tos for how to tie and wrap the most popular carriers, tutorials for making your own carrier, and a list of helpful resources for information and support on your babywearing journey. It would make an ideal gift for a first-time parent, or for someone new to babywearing who wants to start!

Gender Neutral Parenting: Raising kids with the freedom to be themselves

I really love this book. You might think from the outside that it's going to be a dour rant on why you should dress your children only in brown, call them Pat, and never refer to them by gender pronouns, but I assure you that's only part of it. Ha ha, joke! That's not at all what it's like.

Paige conversationally and rationally walks you through the gender distinctions and stereotypes our culture tries to impose on our kids, and helps you become a parent who lovingly and respectfully guides kids through the messages, inspiring them to be who they really are, no matter if they fit into a neat binary box or not. The book isn't prescriptive — girls are still free to wear pink and play with Barbies, and boys can wear camo and shoot Nerf guns — or the reverse. It just introduces you to the trends at work in our society and gives positive ways you can step beyond the gender dictates and appreciate your children for who they are, while encouraging them to have the same attitude of tolerance and respect for others.

Simply Natural Pregnancy

Simply Natural Pregnancy is a book of short, simple chapters and clear, concise action steps. It will help you transform your pregnancy with baby steps (ha ha!) toward becoming more natural. It's not written judgmentally but informatively and will give you the tools you need to focus on what's possible for you to change right now.

If you bought just these six titles separately, it would run you $137.96! Contrast that with $44.97 (today only!) for the full Essential Parenting Collection (35 e-resources just like these!) or one of the topical mini-bundles for $17.97 (today only).

Plus, with the full collection, you get exciting extras, like coloring pages from natural parenting artists and resources on compassionate communication and encouraging self-esteem. The full collection includes eCourses, eBooks, eAudiobooks, eWorkshops, online yoga courses, and more.

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Riding the rails with my husband, Crackerdog Sam, and our hobo kids, Mikko Lint Picker (born June 2007), Alrik Irontrousers (born May 2011), and Karsten (born October 2014). Trying every day to parent intentionally and with grace.